On stage

My darling daughter has been acting, singing and dancing in plays for about 18 months now, and it’s hard to know who has learned more. I’ve learned a ton:
1. Get help when you need it. She has lots of natural talent but expert input makes a huge difference.
2. Being scared doesn’t mean not doing. (She’s much, much better at this than me.)
3. Be ready for anything – and to act like you expected that very strange thing to happen.
4. Say thank you when offered advice, even if it was delivered in a mean way.
5. Even if you’ve been told to do something nearly a million times, don’t bring that up when you’re then told to do it completely differently.
6. Smile and act like all is perfect, especially when it isn’t. In good and bad ways, you’re almost always “on stage” (read: being watched.)
7. Things will go wrong. No one needs to know.
8. Acting is reacting.
9. Parenting is often NOT reacting.
10. Everyone has favorites.
11. Not everyone tells the truth.
12. Not everyone has the same definition/idea of talent. However, if a few people see “it,” “it’s” probably real.
13. You will not be thanked most of the time.
14. Hard work doesn’t always pay off in the way you desire – but you can always learn something from your experience.
15. People will be mean because they’re jealous, because they feel excluded, because they had someone be mean to them, and because they think it’s the only way to get ahead.
16. People will be nice – because that’s how you should act.
17. Be patient. Art takes time.
18. Teamwork and a willingness to bend, jump (in) and step out of the way are essential.
19. Don’t go through life “marking it,” just going through the motions and not giving it your all.
20. Smile in the spotlight. If it’s shining on you, you’ve earned it.